Shaping riding boots



Sepf. 20, 1932. J. A. FRAZIER SHAPING RIDING BOOTS Original Filed March 29, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l zve 717 0 7.

Sept. 20, 1932.

Original Filed March 29. 1950 J. A. FRAZIER SHAPING RIDING BOOTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Izzls wo rcey.

Sept.- ZO, 1932.

J. A. FRAZIER 1,878,391

SHAPING RIDING BOOTS Ofiginal Filed March 29. 1930 a Sheets-Sheet :5

izz'a wrvzg Patented Sept. 20,1932

PATENT JOHN A. VFRAZIER, orvsou'rn' BRAIIN'TREE, MASSACHUSETTS i SHAPING RIDING Booms Applicatioxifiled March 29, 1930, s ria1 1wo. 440,0so. Renewed A r l 12, 1932. p:

T-his invention relates to apparatus for shaping leather ridingboots or the like, and has for its principal object the'provision of a'sifnple and compact machine for successively forcin'gthe forming lasts into the leg of p the boot and withdrawingthe lasts from the formed boot, the successive operations being performed by a wheel'or' crank} without in juring. the leather.

7 as the wedge is forcedinto thebootbetween Heretofore, the common method of shaping the leg of a riding boot has-consisted in driving a Wedge memberbetween a pair of lasts placed Within the leg and subsequently hammering the lasts off the wedge,

the work being performed by'han'd operations at a considerable waste of time and effort and frequently resulting in damage to the wedge, the lasts and the leather of the,

boot. The principal objection to this old hanimeringprocess has been the frequent breakage of the driven wedge and the excessive cost of replacing the broken wedges. It is accordingly a particular purpose "of the present invention to obviate these 0bjectionable results of the former methods by providing means for forcing the wedge into a position without injury to the wed e "and without excessive or troublesome e ort by the operator ;.and also to provide means associated with the wedge and the forming lasts whcrebythe wedge may be inserted and withdrawn without gripping the boot itself or applying damagingimpacts to. the boot or the forming elements. Further object s reside in the novel features of the apparatus hereinafter described and pointed' out in the appended claims. A recommended embodiment of thje invention is illustrated in the accompanying draw I ings,1n which:

F l. is a plan view of the improved machine showing the arrangement of theiparts the lasts;

Fig. 2. is a-ifragmentaryi planf'view in s trating the operation of and lasts off the wedge; Fig. 3 is an. enlarged section throughthe boot, taken on line 3'3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4; is a side el F ig. 9 is an elevationTofthe'assernbled 6 forming elements, the boot being omitted;

.Fig, 101's a fragmentary elevation :of one side of the frame (looking outward), show.- ing a pair of-braces for holdingthe trans,- verse ends of the bifurcated strips;

I 5 Fig. l ljis a section oniline 11-11 of t Fig.'10; I I I 1 Figs. 12 and 13 are details of thef'braces;

Fig. 1 1 is sectional cradle for the boot.

In the apparatus chosen for the purpose (if.

illustration, the machine comprises afframer Work including a pair of elong- .jrails 21 connected in parallel relation by endcrbss members, 22 and .23 which are mounted: on

upright legs 24: $tt. each cornerto support the I rails substantially horizontally above the floor.. The rearward end member 23- con sti-. tutes ahousing in which is journaled averti cal shaft 25 and throughfwhich a drivenrod 26 is slidable longitudinally of, the frame The lower end ofthe shaft 25 'carriesa'sp'ur gear 27 which engages a rack 28 formed'in the rod 26, and theupper endof the shaft has'an s5,

operating crankwheel 29. Theforwardend of the rod 26 isfixed toaslide 3O inthe form of acrosshead mounted forlo'ngitudinal slid ing movement along the rails 21. Therod andits crossheadthus constitute aplunger' 99 pressingrthe boot evation of the machine in the position-ofFigfZ; 1 T 1 t Fig. 5 is a detail in plan 'ofthe boot and i the inserted shaping members View inseam s operated by the wheel'29, and a central enlargement of the crosshead preferably has a recess 32 to receive the end of the Wedge member of the boot shaping elements. The crosshead center 31 also mounts upo its upper side a pivoted hub 33 to which is pivoted as by a pin 34 a push rod or bar 35. These pivots are arranged at right angles to each other, so that the rod 35 may be swung in both horizontal and vertical planes with respectto the crosshead. This rod is employed to separate the forming elements and permit the removal of the shaped shoe,

as will be explained hereinafter; hence-the rod is swung to inoperative position in Fig. 1, and is in working position in" Figs. 2 and-4.

Near the forward end 22 of the frameis. transverse cradle 36 for supporting the boot during insertion and-removal of-the shaping elements. The cradle may be formed of leather or other flexible material and is :pref erably adjustable vertically withrespect to the frame, For example, as best. shown, in Fig. 14, the cradle may be fastened,- together with depending spreading arms 37, upon collars 38 rotatable on the rails 21"; and the lower ends of the-arms may be connected by a cross bar 39 pivoted at 40 to one oat-the, arms'and passing "through a slotin the opposite arm, the cross bar having ratchet teeth 41 locking with an edge ofsuch slotunder tension of a 7 spring 42; Hence, by twistingv either or both of thecollars 38 outwardly, the cradle may be tautened andelevated; and the release of the ratchet will permit sl'ackeningof the cradle.

Intermediate the plunger-cross'head and i the cradle, the frame is provided with supporting braces for holding the transverse ends .of-a pair of metal separator strips constituting part of theboot-shaping elements,

the brace members being arranged removably to receive said transverse ends and to brace the same against the operationof the plunger or the lever 35. A cooperatmgj set of similar braces is providedupon each of the rails 21, so that a description of one set of members will suflice. Each set preferably.

comprises a pair o1 sleeves 43 and 44 surroundingthe rail 21 in end to end relation, and bein'g rotatable on the rail but prevented from movement longitudinally of the rails as by step collars 45, which are fixed to the rail at the outer ends of1the--sleeves.- The respective I sleeves have integral transverse arms 46 and 4 7 a't their contiguous ends, pro

jecting radially ofthe sleeves and preferably longitudinally-offset beyond said "ends as indicated at 48 so that the two arms overlap each other approximately in'the same vertical plane. as'best shown in Fig. 10.

- Thus the sleeves maybe ilentical inconstruction so that they, may be used inter changeably in anyof the four positions which they may occupy. To this end, theends of the similar arms 46 and 47 have openings 49 ceivethetransverse ends of the bifurcated M strips. In order that the distance betweenthe sockets 54 and 55 of each set of braces may beself-adjusting to the lasts when the latter are wedged apart, a yielding device is preferably provided for tensioning the U-shaped members 51 and 52.

Such .device may comprise a rod 56'hav'i ng' 'a head on its upper end, extending through aligned apertures 57 in said members, and a'spring 58 surrounding the rod and bearing upon a nut 59 atits lower end, so that the two members with their sleeve arms 46 and 47 are urged toward each other.

A. spacer 60 attached to one of the collars 45 as by a bolt 61 and having an inwardly bent end terminating ina tip 62 extending between the opposed faces of the members 51 and 52,

is preferably provided tolimit the action of the spring 58 and normally hold the members in a given position (Fig. 10). The forming elements for shaping the contour of the leg of the riding boot shown at 63 preferably comprisea pair of wooden lasts or formers 64 and 65, occupying the front and back parts respectively of the bootleg the upp er and lower parts when the bootis in the horizontal position shown in the drawings, an elongate, central wedge member 66, tapering toward its inner endfan'd adapted to be received between the lasts, a-nd a pair of bifurcated separators 67 and68, each comprisingitwo strips of flat metal fixed in parallel relation by a transverse end piece orhead 69 and 70 respectively, the heads being formed of thicker metal and-being receivable in the sockets 54 and 55 of the braces. A last for the foofpartof the boot is also provided in the usual manner, but the foot last is not material tothe present invention. The opposed fiat faces of'theleg lasts 64 and 65fand the 'wedge .66 preferably have interfitting guide 'tenons and grooves for centering the members as they areassembled. As shown, last 64 has a'grooveZ 1 receiving a tenon 7 2 of thewedge 66; the wedge has an opposite groove 7 3' receiving a tenon 7 4of last 65; and the metal strips 67 and 68 arearranged to straddle the respective tenons between the wedge and re-' spective lasts. l j p The. outer end of the lastspreferably have leatherfacings75 and76 respectively; and the wedge has a protruding neck portion terminating inga v metal-capped end 7.? which isreceivable within the recess 32 of the plungserting the foot last (not shown) in the foot of the boot, the leg lasts 64and are placed in the leg together withthe metal strips 67 and 68 and the wedge 66, the lasts and metal strips being pushed inwardly until the leg lasts abut thefoot last and the strip heads 69 and 7 0 seat against the leather facings 75 and 76, with the wedge forced in sufiiciently to eX-- ert a slight outward pressure on the lasts ;:the boot is then placed upon the cradle 36 midway between the frame rails 21 with the metal heads 69 and-7O inserted in the sockets of the bracing members 51 and 52; the crank wheel is then turned to move the plunger forwardly until the capped end 77 ofthe wedge enters thecro ss head recess 32, andis then further rotatedto drive the wedge between the metal strips 67 and 68 and thus expandthe lasts to the'desired degree. It will. be noted that i the wedgeis thus driven home without gripping. the boot or making frictional contact with the other shaping-elements,by a steady pressure which does'no dama e to the wedge, and that the operation may e quickly performed with slightma'nual eil ort. I

The intermediate metal strips or separators 67 and 68 not only constitutea ,support'for the open end of the bootleg but also withhold the lasts from longitudinal displacee ment as the wedge is driven between them, and allow only the lateral component of force exerted by the wedge to be applied to the,

lasts. During this movement ofthewedge, the heads 69 and 70 of the separators and their supporting U-shaped braces are spread apart against the resistance of the yielding spring 58, the brace sleeves 43 and 44 rotatev mg in opposite directions'during such move ment. After the wedge has beenforced inwardly'ofthe boot a sufii cient distance to exert the proper pressure .upon the leather of the boot leg, the boot and the "shaping forms may be removed from the machine an'dallowed to stand until the shape of 'theleghas set. It will be understood that, inacc'ordance with common practice, the leather is softened by wetting orby suitable preparations, beforethe forms are placed therein, and

that the boot is dried out and hardenedbefore the forms are removed. a

In order to remove the forms, the boot is again placed vin thermachine in the manner above'described, the plunger'crosshead being retracted, and the rod 35 is thenlswung bear against thelxleather facing above theiliner head-.69 (Figs. 2 and 3), and tby boot either before or after; the finishedboot V is removed I from the machine.- I. This action, like that of crowding inv the wedge, is effected bya firm, steady: pressure and with total ab- Sence of the pounding and hammering, which is so destructive of. lasts and thewedgesia the Prior method. c 7' I claimzi. V V- 1. jApparatusvof, the :class described comprising apair of lasts for shaping the legiof a boot, a wedge insertablebetween" the lasts, separators insertable/between the wedgeandthe respectivelasts, and means for holding the separators against movement inwardly of the boot when the wedge'is forced between them tospread the lasts orr whenuthe expandedulastsare forced alongthe separators to; release the wedge:

l l t S 0fthe class describedcoin p i g a pair of. lasts'forshapingthe leg of-a' boot, a-wedge insertable between/the I lasts, separators insertable between the wedge L, 7

and the respeotive lasts and means for holdingthe separators against movement inwardly of the boot. when the wedge 'is' forced be tween the separators to spread the; lasts or when. the expanded lasts vare forced along the'separatorsto release the wedge, the sepa ratorsbeing bifurcated and the lasts, and

cess'es and projections extending between the furcations for guiding the wedge and the stripsin their relative movement with re spect to each-other and to thB fl aiSl/S wedge having interfitting' longitudinal re Apparatus oftheclass described co1nprising a pair of lasts for shaping the leg of a boot,-a wedge between the lasts, sepa ratorsbetween the wedge and the respective lasts, the separatorshaving transverse heads at their outer end port1ons,meansfor forclng the wedge inwardly of the bootfto spread the lasts,,means .foreholdingsa-id heads against of a boot, a wedge between the lasts, sepalasts, the separators having transverse heads at their outer end portions, means for forcing the wedge inwardly ofthe boot tospread the rators between the wedge and'the'respec tive o v lasts, means for holding said head's gagainst j movement'-,-in;{the direction; of, the wedge movement, and,means for forcinglone-of the ha l nge' is peeoe melee wee after the boot has been shaped-by the-expanded lasts, both said forcing means being actuated loy-acommon propulsion means. Apparatus of w the -class described comprising. a frame having parallel rails, means for supporting the lower end of a boot'between the rails, a pair of lasts in the boot for shaping the lcg'portionthereoL-a wedge between the lasts with its outer end .proj ecting beyond the top of the boot, separators between the wedge and the respective lasts, said separators having transverse heads at their outer ends, means on the rails for-support I prising a frame having parallel rails, means 'tweenthe lasts with its outer end projecting tween the wedge and the respective lasts,

for supporting the lower end ofa boot between the rails a pairof lasts in the boot for I shaping theleg portion thereof, awedge bebeyond the top of the boot, separators be said separators havingtransverse heads at their outer ends, means onthe railsfor supporting said heads and holding them against movement 7 longitudinally of the frame in v a direction toward the foot of the boot,fa crosshead movable along the rails toward the pro jecting end of thewedge, means for forcing the wedge between said separator to spread the lasts, a member carried by the crosshead and adapted to bear against the outer'end of one of the lasts, and'means for moving the I crosshead andits member to force said last toward theinner'end of the'juxtaposed separator while the latter is held by its support-i in'g means, thereby t o-release the wedge from, the expanded lasts.

7. Apparatusof the class described comprising a' frame having parallel rails, means for supporting the lower end of a boot between the rails,'a pair of' lasts, inthe boot for shaping the leg portion thereof, a wedge between the lasts with its outer end projecting beyond the top of the boot, separators be- 1 tween the wedge and the respective lasts,

said separators having transverse headsat their outer ends, means on the rails for supporting said heads and holding them against movement longitudinally of the frame ina 7 direction toward the foot of the boot, a crossc head movable along the rails toward the projecting end of'the wedge, means for moving the crosshead againstthe-pro ectlng end-of the wedge'to force the wedge between the re= tained strips, thereby to expand the lasts; a

member carried by the'crosshead and mov--. able relative theretoso that its free end may be brought to bear against theouter end of one of the lasts, after the boot has been shaped by the expanded lasts, so that a subsequent movement of the crosshead in the same direction'will force the said last toward the inner end of the juxtaposed separator while the latter is retained by its said supporting means,thereby to release the wedge. 8. Apparatus ofthe class described comprising a frame having parallel rails, means for supporting thelower end of a bootbe tween the rails, a pair of lasts in the boot for shaping the leg portion thereof, a wedge between'the lasts with its outerend projecting b'eyond'the top of the boot, separators between the wedge and the V respective lasts, said separators having transverse heads at theirouter ends, means on the rails for supporting said headsandholding them against movement longitudinally of the frame in a direction toward the foot of the boot, a crosshead movable along the rails toward, the projecting end ofthe wedge, a crank operative for moving the crosshead against the projecting end of the wedge to force the-wedge between the restrained separators to expand the lasts, a rod pivoted to the crosshead mide way between the rails and arranged to be abutting the outer end of one of the lasts when the crosshead is distant jfromthe wedge, so that asubsequent movement of the crosshea-d in the same'direction will force the rod againsti'the said last and thereby move the last toward the inner end of the juxtaposed separator and releasethe wedge from the expanded lasts. V

9.1Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame having parallel rails, means for supportingithe lower end of a boot between the rails, a pair of lasts in the boot for shapingthe leg portion thereof, a wedge between the lasts with its outer end projecting beyond the top of the boot, separators between thewedge and the respective lasts, said separators having transverse headsat their outeriends, means on the rails for supportingsaid heads and holding them against movement longitudinally of the frame in a direction toward. the foot of the boot, a.

crosshead movable along the rails toward the projectingend-of the wedge, and means for moving the crosshead to foroethe wedge between the separators-to expand the last, the means for supporting the separator heads comprising a pair of abutting collars rotatable on each rail, the respective collars having oflset jaws receiving the corresponding ends of the respectiveheads, said jaws being angularly movable away from each other as their "collars are rotated I upon spreading apart of the separators by the wedge, and yielding means tending to urge the jaws'toward eachother. 1 I 10. Apparatus of theclass described com- I prising a frame havingparallel rails, means for supporting the lower end ofa boot between the'rails, a pair of lasts in the boot for shaping the leg portion thereof, a wedge inserted between the lasts with its outerend projecting beyondthe top of the boot, flat strips inserted between the-wedge and the respective lasts, said strips having transverse heads at their outer ends, means on the rails for supporting said heads and holding them against movementlongitudinally of the frame in a direction toward the foot of the boot, a crosshead movable along the rails toward the projecting end of the wedge, and means for moving the crosshead to force the wedge between the strips thereby to expand the last, the means for supporting the strip heads comprising a pair of abutting collars rotatable on each rail, the respective collars having olfset jaws receiving the correspond- 15. A boot leg shaping apparatus compris-I ing complemental expanding elements, namely, lasts or forms insertable into the boot leg and a wedge between said forms for spreading them apart, characterized by sepa rators between the wedge and forms, and

means for restraining the separators from l longitudinal movement with the wedge or the forms when either of said expanding elements is moved relatively to the others in the ing ends of the respective heads, said jaws i being angularly movable away from each other as their collars are rotated upon expansion of the strips by the wedge, and yielding means tending to urge the jaws toward each other, and a spacing member extending between the respective jaws for limiting said movement caused by said yielding means.

11. The improved method for shaping the legs of riding boots by the use of lasts or.

forms extending lengthwise of the boot leg and a wedge driven longitudinally between 1 said forms, which consists in providing separators between the wedge and forms and withholding the separators from movement with the wedge so that'frictional contact between the wedge and forms is prevented and the force transmitted to the lasts or forms is limited to lateral or outward pressure only.

12. The improved method asset forth in claim 11 and comprising further the loosening ofthe wedge from the lasts or forms after the boot leg has been shaped, which consists in effecting a relative withdrawing movement lengthwise of the boot between the wedge and the forms while the separators are withheld from movement. p 13. The method as set forth in claim 11 which comprises further the application of force to the wedge in expanding the lasts or forms with a steady pressure, as distinguished from hammer blows;

14. The improved method for shaping the g legs of riding. boots by the use'of lasts or forms extending lengthwiseof the bootleg and a wedge driven longitudinally between said forms, which consists in providing separators between the wedge and forms, with- 1' holding the separators from movement, effecting arelative movement longitudinally of the boot between the wedgeand forms, by pressure steadily applied as distinguished from hammer blows, first in the direction to I cause lateral expansion of the forms, and sub sequently in the opposite direction. 

